There was one not-so-incidental difference in Lincecum's initial imprint on this 2012 World Series. Two years ago, against Texas, he started and won Game 1. Then he started and won Game 5, escorting the Giants to their first championship in San Francisco.

On Wednesday night, after Barry Zito decisively outpitched Justin Verlander - chew on that for a moment - Lincecum arrived from the bullpen, suddenly his home, sweet home. The Tigers were starting to rustle, already with three hits and one loud out in the sixth inning. They still trailed 6-1, but they had a faint scent of hope.

We Are Giants

Media: San Francisco Chronicle

Lincecum quickly squashed that notion. He struck out Jhonny Peralta to end the sixth, then sailed through the seventh and eighth. Lincecum looked like he'd been a reliever all his life.

His numbers this postseason out of the bullpen: 10 2/3 innings, three hits, one run, one walk, 14 strikeouts, 0.84 ERA. In his lone start, in Game 4 of the NLCS in St. Louis, he didn't make it out of the fifth inning.

So, yes, Affeldt and the "regular" relievers now claim Lincecum as one of their own.

"We're all very happy for him," Affeldt said. "Every time he pitches like that, it really saves our bullpen. ...

"For a guy with two Cy Youngs to move to the 'pen the way he has, without complaining, I'm very appreciative. A lot of guys with his kind of resume would have a hard time with that."

It's not the first time an elite starter has shined as a reliever in the World Series. Walter Johnson pitched four innings of scoreless relief in Game 7 in 1924, helping his Washington Senators outlast the New York Giants for their only championship. Catfish Hunter collected the final out, and the save, as the A's won Game 1 in 1974 against the Dodgers (after Rollie Fingers tossed 4 1/3 innings in relief).

Randy Johnson pitched the final 1 1/3 innings in Game 7 against the Yankees in 2001, cementing Arizona's title.

One big difference: Lincecum no longer qualifies as an elite starter, as Hunter, Johnson and Johnson did during their appearances. But Lincecum is rediscovering his mojo in the bullpen.

"I'm pretty comfortable right now," he said after Wednesday night's game. "I'm just riding the adrenaline. ... My mentality is to just get my outs when I need to. That's pretty much all I'm thinking until they tell me I'm done."

Lincecum is leaning on his off-speed pitches more as a reliever, trying to keep hitters off-balance. One perfect example was Miguel Cabrera's at-bat in the eighth, when Mr. Triple Crown swung and missed at a nasty, ankle-high changeup.

And here's a not-so-comforting thought for the Tigers: Lincecum, after throwing 32 pitches Wednesday night, said he could come back Thursday night.